Wehrmacht
by suzie2b
Summary: And a little H/C just because. A member of the German Defense Force infiltrates the base at Ajman.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Wehrmacht**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **After their latest mission, the Rat Patrol arrived at the allied base in Ajman. They needed rest as much as the jeeps needed repairs. Plus they were in need of supplies before heading back to Ras Tanura.**

 **They stopped in front of headquarters to drop Troy and Moffitt off. Troy got out of the jeep and said to his two privates, "Get these jeeps in for service and repairs as soon as possible. We'll restock 'em later. Moffitt and I will report in and get us some quarters."**

 **Hitch nodded. "Right, sarge."**

 **#################**

 **After telling the mechanics what was needed to be done, Hitch and Tully went to find the barracks. They had grabbed the four packs out of the jeeps and met Troy and Moffitt out in front of a large building that housed the men stationed on Ajman's base.**

 **Tully handed Moffitt his pack and asked, "No room at the inn?"**

 **Troy took his pack from Hitch as he said, "A colonel is set to arrive tomorrow so there's nothing available in the visitors' quarters. But they were able to get us some space here in the enlisted men's barracks."**

 **Hitch sighed. "As long as there's a shower and a bed in my future, I don't care where it is."**

 **Moffitt smiled as he handed Tully a key. "You two are in room eighteen with Private Russell Connors. We'll be down the hall in room twenty."**

 **Tully knocked on the door, but there was no answer so he used the key to let him and Hitch into their temporary quarters. There was a single bunk on one side of the room and a set of bunkbeds on the other. It was obvious by the bare mattresses that they were getting the bunkbeds, so they dropped their packs and proceeded to make up the beds with the sheets and blankets that were there.**

 **As Hitch and Tully left the room to go to the showers, they met Troy and Moffitt in the hallway. Hitch asked, "How're your accommodations?"**

 **Troy grinned. "Private Luke Thompson is little nervous about rooming with two sergeants."**

 **Moffitt chuckled. "He's quite talkative. He insisted on making our beds for us while we shower. How's your roommate?"**

 **Tully smiled. "Haven't met him yet, but I doubt he would've volunteered to make our beds for us."**

 **Later, after showers and a hot meal, Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully all agreed that they were too tired to do anything but go back to their quarters to get some sleep.**

 **When Hitch and Tully entered their quarters, they got to meet their roommate for the first time. The young man looked at them and said, "You two must be my new roomies."**

 **Tully stepped up first with an out stretched hand. "Private Tully Pettigrew."**

 **He shook the hand and said, "Private Russell Connors. Don't call me Russ."**

 **Hitch offered his hand and said, "Private Mark Hitchcock. We're just here for two or three days."**

 **Russell's eyebrows went up. "Oh? Where you headed?"**

" **We'll be heading back to our base in Ras Tanura."**

 **Tully added, "Unless we get another assignment before we get there."**

 **Russell asked, "Are you two with a special unit of some kind?"**

" **Long Range Desert Patrol."**

" **Wow! I never thought I'd meet you guys. Aren't there supposed to be four of you?"**

 **Hitch said, "Our sergeants are down the hall in twenty."**

 **Russell smiled. "That would be Luke's quarters. Not sure how he's going to take to having to sleep with a couple of 'superior officers.' Hey, I just got off duty. Care to join me for dinner? I'd love to hear what you guys have been up to … and maybe about any upcoming missions you can talk about."**

 **Hitch stifled a yawn as he said, "Thanks, but we just ate and to be honest we were going to call it an early night."**

" **Yeah, okay. I understand. I'll be quiet when I come back."**

 **#################**

 **At breakfast, when Troy and Moffitt joined the privates, Hitch asked, "How was your night?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "I slept like the proverbial log."**

 **Troy grumbled, "Private Thompson snores like a buzz saw."**

" **It didn't bother me."**

 **Troy shook his head and looked at his two privates. "How did you two do?"**

 **Tully said, "I slept great."**

 **Hitch nodded. "It was nice to have a mattress under me for a change."**

" **I did have a strange dream last night though."**

 **Moffitt asked, "Care to tell us about it?"**

 **Tully shrugged. "I dreamed that Russell came in drunk and speaking German."**

 **Troy looked at the private curiously. "You sure it was a dream?"**

" **Yeah…" Tully stopped and thought for a second. "Why wouldn't it be? I don't remember waking up before daylight."**

 **Troy nodded, then looked around. "Let's get out of here so we can talk."**

 **They went back to the barracks and to Private Thompson's quarters, who was on duty, giving them the place to themselves.**

 **Moffitt said, "After we told the base commander, Major Brown, who we were yesterday, he told us there's some suspicion that there could be a German plant on base."**

 **Hitch asked, "Does the major want us to take a look around?"**

 **Troy said, "He didn't say it in so many words, but we sort of got that impression."**

 **Tully questioned, "Didn't you say something about a colonel arriving today?"**

" **Colonel Hill is due here sometime this afternoon. There's no way to know for sure right now, but he could be the reason for the plant."**

 **Moffitt said, "If indeed there is a plant."**

 **Troy asked, "Is Connors in his quarters?"**

 **Hitch replied, "He was going on duty when we left."**

" **Let's go take a look."**

 **After a careful sweep of the room and Private Connors possessions, Moffitt said, "I guess it was wishful thinking that we'd find something."**

 **Tully said, "Do you really think my dream was real?"**

 **Troy sighed. "It's an awfully big coincidence. Thompson told us that the only reason there's empty beds in the barracks is because a convoy was hit by the Germans about two hours after it left here about a week ago. He happens to be one of the few survivors."**

 **Moffitt said, "He mentioned that the Germans seemed to know they were going to be on that road and were waiting to ambush them. Thompson also said that Private Connors was supposed to be part of that convoy, but he complained of being sick and didn't go."**

 **#################**

 **They went to headquarters to look for information. When had Private Russell Connors been assigned to the base in Ajman and just how many convoys and patrols had been hit since his arrival were just two of the questions needing answers.**

 **Moffitt and Tully were going through reports while Troy and Hitch went to look at Connors personnel file.**

 **When Troy and Hitch returned to the file room where Moffitt and Tully were going through stacks of folders, Troy asked, "Having any luck?"**

 **Moffitt sighed. "Too much I'm afraid. This has been a hard hit area over the past several months. We're trying to find reports that directly involve the comings and goings of this base. It would help if we could narrow the field a bit."**

" **According to his file Private Connors was transferred here from France with a group of replacements thirty-seven days ago."**

 **Tully started pulling files from the stack they'd been working from that were dated before when Connors arrived. "That helps."**

 **Moffitt picked up one of the files that was left. "A patrol was destroyed two weeks ago that was based out of here."**

 **Tully looked at another one and said, "A convoy was hit on its way here three days after Connors arrived."**

 **Hitch said, "If you add the one that Thompson was involved in, it means our guys have been hit coming or going from here three times in less than six weeks."**

" **And according to these files they were all reported as ambush situations."**

" **Ya know, I didn't think about at the time, but Connors did seem awful interested in us as a unit when he found out who we were."**

 **Tully thought for a few seconds then nodded. "Yeah, he wanted to hear about any missions we might be able to talk about."**

 **Troy scowled. "This just keeps getting more interesting, doesn't it?"**

 **Moffitt nodded. "Where is Private Connors duty station?"**

 **Hitch looked through the personnel file, then said, "He's assigned to janitorial here at headquarters when he isn't with a convoy."**

 **Troy said, "That means he has access to just about everything."**

 **Moffitt stood up. "Shall we try to locate Private Russell Connors while we're here and ask him a few questions?"**

 **#################**

 **Conveniently, Connors was found sweeping the floor in a conference room. He looked up when he heard the door close. "You guys need this room? I'm almost done." He recognized Hitch and Tully and smiled as he said, "Hey, you must be Sergeants Troy and Moffitt."**

 **Troy said, "That would be us, Connors. We need to have a little talk."**

 **Hitch frowned. "Tully and I never mentioned your names to him, sarge."**

 **Connors said, "You guys are the Rat Patrol. Everyone knows who you are."**

 **Troy growled, "Sit down, Connors."**

 **Connors sat in nearest chair, starting to get a little nervous. "What's going on?"**

" **You tell us."**

" **Tell you what?"**

 **Moffitt said,** **"Erklären Sie mir. bitte, Warum haben Sie gestern abend Deutsch gespeochen?"**

 **Connors' eyes went wide as he quickly said, "I wasn't speaking German…" Realizing his mistake he shut his mouth and leaned on the broom he held to stare down at the floor.**

 **Troy scowled. "Did you inform the German's about a visiting Colonel?" Taking the private's silence as an affirmative, Troy looked at Moffitt and said, "Go tell Major Brown we found his plant. He needs to contact Colonel Hill's people and have them change their route just to be on the safe side." Moffitt gave a nod and headed out the door. Troy turned to Hitch. "You'd better go get the MPs."**

" **Right, sarge."**

 **Troy paced the room once, then stopped in front of the private. "Private Russell Connors … is that your real name?"**

 **He didn't look up as he said, "It's Russell Connors Schulz. My parents moved to America before I was born. I was raised to be American."**

 **Tully said, "No wonder your English is so good."**

" **When America joined the war in 1941 my father took us back to Germany because he wanted to fight for 'his people'. He joined the Kriegsmarine and was killed when his U-boat hit a mine."**

 **Troy said, "So you joined the army…"**

 **Connors straightened up as he said, "I wasn't given a choice. I was recruited by the Wehrmacht. After basic training, German intelligence felt my knowledge of Americans and the language could be used to their advantage."**

" **How many times have you infiltrated the allies and given information to the Germans?"**

" **This was my second mission."**

" **So your personnel file is phony."**

 **Connors nodded. "Yes, I was sent to France and infiltrated a group being sent here as replacements to make me look legitimate."**

 **Moffitt returned and said, "Major Brown is having Colonel Hill's detail contacted. Hopefully the warning's in time."**

 **Troy turned his back on Connors and said, "Let's hope so. We don't have time…"**

 **Connors suddenly stood and swung the broom around, hitting Troy close to his elbow hard enough to snap the handle in half. Then he grabbed the pistol out of Troy's holster while the sergeant was off balance.**

 **Tully reacted as soon as Connors started to move, but was too far away to get there in time to stop him. "Look out!"**

 **Moffitt lunged for the gun in Connors' hand and was able to knock his aim away from Troy as the weapon fired. The bullet ricocheted off the ceiling before imbedding itself in the wall.**

 **Moffitt managed to get the gun out of Connors hand before knocking him unconscious with a right cross. He quickly turned to Troy and asked, "Are you all right?"**

 **Troy held his arm and said, "He might've broken it."**

 **Moffitt looked over at Tully. The young private had paled and was holding his side. "Tully? What's wrong?"**

 **Tully moved his hand—it was covered in blood. As Moffitt moved to Tully's side, people started to come out of the woodwork to see what was going on.**

 **Troy said, "Someone get a stretcher!" Then he looked at the unmoving body of Private Connors. "Keep an eye on him. The MPs are on their way."**

 **Moffitt pulled out a chair. "Here, Tully, sit down." He opened the private's shirt and examined the wound. Moffitt was relieved to announce, "The bullet grazed him. It's fairly deep, but doesn't look too serious."**

 **#################**

 **Private Russell Connors Schulz regained consciousness just before Hitch arrived with the MPs. Schulz was handcuffed and taken to the stockade.**

 **Both Troy and Tully were taken to medical. Troy went for x-rays and Tully went into surgery to have his wound taken care of with a local** **anesthesia.**

 **When Moffitt and Hitch arrived at the hospital, their comrades were resting comfortably. Moffitt smiled as he said to Troy, "I don't see a cast."**

 **Troy grinned. "It's not broken, but the bone is bruised. I'm going to be wearing this sling for a while. The doctor wants me to stay here at least overnight."**

" **You don't look too upset about it."**

" **I'll get more sleep here than in that room with the buzz saw."**

 **Hitch sat down on a chair between the bunks and asked Tully, "How are you feeling?"**

 **Tully said, "Not too bad. We'll see what happens when the local wears off."**

" **So it wasn't too serious then."**

" **Nah, just a few stitches. They may let me out of here tomorrow."**

 **Troy asked, "Did Colonel Hill make it?"**

 **Moffitt nodded. "Just about an hour ago. He went straight to Major Brown's office. I assume to discuss what had happened."**

 **Tully asked, "What about Connors … or** **Schulz** **?"**

 **Hitch said, "He's under heavy guard. They don't want to take a chance on losing him."**

 **Moffitt said, "He'll be interrogated before being sent to a POW camp." Seeing that the two patients were looking tired, the sergeant smiled. "I think it's time you two got some rest. I have a report to write on this incident." Moffitt looked at Hitch and said, "Do you think you can stay out of trouble until dinner time?"**

 **Hitch feigned hurt feeling. "Sarge, how can you say that? I'm quite capable of staying of trouble." A pretty blonde nurse walked by and Hitch's eyes lit up as they immediately followed her. "But I may not be joining you for dinner. I'll see you guys later." And with that he went off after his latest conquest.**

 **Troy, Moffitt, and Tully chuckled and Troy said, "Will he ever grow up?"**

 **Moffitt grinned. "I hope not. Growing old is a requirement … growing up is a state of mind."**


End file.
